The Difference in Great Britain and the USA: Television

I don't get why a boob is so dangerous that if one is seen by a helpless child then all hell has been unleashed upon earth. Then I watch Hannibal and I cannot understand how the show got made in the first place and how in the hell NBC actually put it on, even if it is on "late". The show is awfully graphic, to say the least, and the hypocrisy is kinda stunning.

Then there's BBCA's Orphan Black, with all the cussing right there, not bleeped out(YAY) and right there in the first episode a fully unclothed hot babe. Not full frontal, mind ya, but still something that wouldn't make it past the censors.

To be truthful, I was a little surprised they didn't fine David Ortiz/network for his speech at the baseball game in Boston after the bombings. They do have a little compassion( a little) when it comes to live broadcasts but one never knows when dealing with a government agency. Wasn't there a stink a couple years ago about a war broadcast and the network almost got fined for people cussing in a war zone? I seem to remember that but could be amiss.

reply to post by smyleegrl


and in the UK our European counterparts laugh at us for our sexually prudish ways..

Originally posted by Chauserable
Interestingly, the phrase Titbits, has now generally been amended to Tidbits Worldwide due to American discomfort in a word that contains the word 'Tit'.

I'm curious, is ornithology considered a taboo profession in the states?

" 'ere, Nigel, check out them smashing pair of great tits."

reply to post by TheSpanishArcher

I don't get why a boob is so dangerous that if one is seen by a helpless child then all hell has been unleashed upon earth. Then I watch Hannibal and I cannot understand how the show got made in the first place and how in the hell NBC actually put it on, even if it is on "late". The show is awfully graphic, to say the least, and the hypocrisy is kinda stunning.

Then there's BBCA's Orphan Black, with all the cussing right there, not bleeped out(YAY) and right there in the first episode a fully unclothed hot babe. Not full frontal, mind ya, but still something that wouldn't make it past the censors.

The other thing I've notice about the odd breast paranoia in the US, is that all hell breaks loose if a nipple is shown on tv (wardrobe malfunctions), but many are so obsesssed with cleavage and big boobs. Enough cleavage is shown, that a wardrobe malfunction is just waiting to happen, lots of breast augmentation being done, so much obsession with the right bra size and big enough boobs, yet don't dare let a nipple be shown.

I love that show, Orphan Black. I don't even notice the cussing, it's more like real life.
Who talks in bleeps?

Strange that freedom of speech, in the US, doesn't allow so many words......

Originally posted by woogleuk

Originally posted by Chauserable
Interestingly, the phrase Titbits, has now generally been amended to Tidbits Worldwide due to American discomfort in a word that contains the word 'Tit'.

I'm curious, is ornithology considered a taboo profession in the states?

" 'ere, Nigel, check out them smashing pair of great tits."

Well, I once posted a thread here called "Murderous Great Tits". The birds were attacking and killing bats.

It got 4O4ed pretty quickly.

In the US, it's considered vulgar for a woman to breast feed in public unless she and the child are covered someway. Yet it's perfectly fine to walk around in tight, revealing clothing that leaves little to the imagination.

It's a contradiction. Breast feeding a child is natural....we've done it for thousands of years. Yet it's obscene. Makes no sense.

I think it may go back to our Puritan ancestors, who were pretty strict with their motions of sin....and we all know women are the root of all evil m maybe that has something to do with it.

Originally posted by smyleegrl
Greetings, ATS!

Well, I managed to put my back out Thursday and since them I've been laying in bed watching YouTube videos.

I stumbled across an episode of a television series called "Embarrassing Bodies" which is a BBT program. I assume its broadcast in the UK? Anyway, I watched the first episode and was amazed at what was shown.

The show focuses on helping people who have embarrassing health problems they are too ashamed to bring to their doctor. Skin abnormalities and the like. The doctors the offer advice on how to help the problem. It's a pretty interesting show.

What I find amazing is the fact that this show examines the genitalia of both sexes and shows it on camera. They showed a man's penis with lesions and a woman's vagina with a deformity. I was astounded. Did they really just show this on public television?

This would never be shown in the US, except possibly on late night cable tv. Personally, I see nothing wrong with the program at all; it's educational and there nothing erotic about the exams at all.

So this has me thinking. Why would this show be deemed inappropriate for the US? Are we more prudish than our friends across the pond? Is this the norm in Great Britain and other European countries?

What I find so ironic about this....we would never see a show like this in the US, but violent shows are okay. Isn't that twisted logic? Why is it acceptable to see violence and not something like this show?

I've noticed over the years that a movie with violence and adult language may get a PG-13 rating, while a movie with no violence but some nudity is rated R. What does this teach our children and our society? That violence is okay, but nudity and the love scenes between two people is not?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter, especially if you live in a different country. How does your country view violence and nudity in entertainment?"

Looking forward to your response!

Dont forget, we were a country founded by puritans who were about as uptight sexually as you can get (and many of their descendants still are). Sex in Europe is looked upon more casually in general, which is probably much more better for mental health.

The difference is that the Brits are intelligently funny and Americans are stupid and unfunny.

reply to post by smyleegrl


Greetings ,
Love it :
You have a group of people, who are afraid/embarrassed over going to the doctor.
How to fix it... hmmm... National TV, everyone wants to be on TV right ?

But as a citizen in EU, i never watch TV.
Because i cant even watch a car commercial, without some barely dressed lady with low cut and push up and what not, sensually licking on some dudes fingers.
And dont try to tell me, that has something to do with the car.

e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g is about sex, and it sells and people are happy to look at it.
No questions asked.

But theres a point, when it becomes boring, when its shoved in your face no matter where you look. Outside, billboards, tv commercials, internet ads. Everywhere.

How to write a TV series :
You need a handful of characters, one maybe to locations,
then they are to engage each other sexually, everyone of them like a hippie commune, and that should be good for about 6 - 7 years.

Standard plot : Person A, says something about person B to person C.
Person C then tells D, which then go backs and talks to A.
In the meantime, B finds out what A said, and started talking to C and D.


Sorry to go of like that, however in this case my contribution is my opinion.
Delete, or harass if need be.
Peace.

reply to post by unnamednumber


I don't know where you're from, but you must have some god awful TV!

Having spent a fair bit of time on the continent though, I know they have crap Telly... British TV is a cut above the rest and we export a lot overseas.. Yes, there is a lot of rubbish on British TV, but when we do good, we do it well...

Originally posted by suz62
The difference is that the Brits are intelligently funny and Americans are stupid and unfunny.

Um, Benny Hill was intelligently funny? Mr Bean is intellectual? Some Americans may be stupid but we built in 200 years what you couldn't in 2000. When there is a Union Jack sitting on the Moon call us stupid then.

reply to post by smyleegrl

I too am astounded by the differences in Brit and u.s, tv. Here in America we have brutishly violent t.v. Shows. Our cousins across the pond seem to have more thought provoking t.v. such as mentioned before. Why are we Americans so prudish when bodily functions or deformities are concerned? Violence is just fine for our sensors, why not the other way around?

reply to post by smyleegrl

I too am astounded by the differences in Brit and u.s, tv. Here in America we have brutishly violent t.v. Shows. Our cousins across the pond seem to have more thought provoking t.v. such as mentioned before. Why are we Americans so prudish when bodily functions or deformities are concerned? Violence is just fine for our sensors, why not the other way around?

Originally posted by openminded2011

Originally posted by suz62
The difference is that the Brits are intelligently funny and Americans are stupid and unfunny.

we built in 200 years what you couldn't in 2000. When there is a Union Jack sitting on the Moon call us stupid then.

edit on 12-5-2013 by openminded2011 because: (no reason given)

Mostly done with captured german tec.

The advances of the 20th century are down to most of the world.

reply to post by smyleegrl

So this has me thinking. Why would this show be deemed inappropriate for the US? Are we more prudish than our friends across the pond? Is this the norm in Great Britain and other European countries?

It's very simple.

In Europe, violence is WAY more taboo than sex. Here, it's the opposite.

Yes, we are QUITE prudish, compared to most of the WORLD, not just Europe or Great Britain. Nudity is pretty prevalent in many television shows elsewhere, but here in America, it is taboo, and more restricted.

On the flipside, some of the violence on our primetime shows would be heavily censored over there.

Personally, I think there is a happy medium that could be found, but here, there is a much tighter relationship between advertising and show content. Advertisers are looking to attract a majority audience, and so look for shows that are less offensive to the average US viewer.

reply to post by Gazrok


Really? After 9pm here in the UK I see allot of violent shiz go down.
BBC can be abit prudish but our other terrestial channels like ITV, T4 and Channel 5 seem to let anything go. If its really really violent ITV may put it at 10:00pm but meh its shown. And Sky1 (which is cable but most people have it) shows anything after 9pm too. There certainly dont censer Game of thrones.

UK at least the rule of thumb is after 9:00 pm anythings goes. Watch at your own risk.

Though I have to addmit British made programs seem to be less violent but that not to do with cencers just how we make things. But if you want real violent we just watch American made program that are shown uncensored normaly of Sky or channel 5.

American and British TV are totally different, in Britain we like more swearing, more sex and more violence.

Originally posted by Gazrok


In Europe, violence is WAY more taboo than sex. Here, it's the opposite.

I wouldn't say that, Europe is a violent place. European tv is more gritty and realistic than that of American TV.

reply to post by openminded2011


I'm an American. I call it as I see it. American comedy is as unfunny as it gets.

reply to post by liverlad


It's possible it's changed more in the past few years. In general though, in my experience with other Europeans, sex is way less taboo than graphic violence, whether in ads, on television, or even in movies. While sex sells everywhere, Europe seems to really run with that idea...(which isn't a bad thing...I think we Yanks are WAY too hung up on these archaic Puritanical values).

Also, I'm on board with less primetime violence (or at least less violence directed towards young audiences). I think there is something to be said for desensitization.